The invention relates to a stirring device and method of stirring a liquid, a solid, or other material forms using electrostatic charge to create a stirring effect.
Stirring devices typically include a mechanical stirrer immersed in the media to be stirred and a motive force applied to the mechanical stirrer to stir the media. Current stirring devices require contact between the moving mechanical stirrer and the media. In some applications, it may desirable to keep the media free from contact with a moving stirrer while the media is stirred. In some applications, it may be desirable to eliminate mechanically moving components in a stirring device. No known stirring devices can be used in such an application.
Accordingly, a need exists for a stirring device and method in which contact between the media to be stirred and a mechanical stirrer is avoided and a mechanically moving stirrer is eliminated.